Chocolate Cake With Dried Cherries Recipes

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH DRIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a nine-inch tube pan.
• Sift together the flour, cocoa and baking soda and set aside. Place the cherries in a dish, stir in the cherry liqueur and set aside.
• Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, mixing only enough to combine the ingredients.
• Add the almond extract to the cherry mixture, then fold this mixture into the batter.
• Spread the batter into the pan and bake for 45 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan and continue to cool on a rack.

CHOCOLATE COVERED DRIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Place the dried cherries in a coating pan attached to a stand mixer. Spin at low speed. Using a ladle, add the chocolate to the spinning cherries. Add one ladleful at a time until the cherries are coated to the desired thickness. (Use a 50/50 ratio (50 percent chocolate, 50 percent weight of the cherries.) If a thicker coat is desired, use more chocolate and vice versa.
• How to Temper Chocolate(From Dessert Circus, Extraordinary Desserts You Can Make At Home by Jacques Torres):
• Chocolate is tempered so that after it has been melted, it retains its gloss and hardens again without becoming chalky and white (that happens when the molecules of fat separate and form on top of the chocolate). There are a variety of ways to temper.
• One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to chop it into small pieces and then place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until most of the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. (The temperature of dark chocolate should be between 88 and 90 degrees F, slightly warmer than your bottom lip. It will retain its shape even when mostly melted. White and milk chocolates melt at a temperature approximately 2 degrees F less because of the amount of lactose they contain.) Any remaining lumps will melt in the chocolate's residual heat. Use an immersion blender or whisk to break up the lumps. Usually, chocolate begins to set, or crystallize, along the side of the bowl. As it sets, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate to temper it. A glass bowl retains heat well and keeps the chocolate tempered longer.
• Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, add small pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate, but is usually 1/4 of the total amount. It is easiest to use an immersion blender for this, or a whisk.
• The classic way to temper chocolate is called tabliering. Two thirds of the melted chocolate is poured onto a marble or another cold work surface. The chocolate is spread out and worked with a spatula until its temperature is approximately 81 degrees F. At this stage, it is thick and begins to set. This tempered chocolate is then added to the remaining non-tempered chocolate and mixed thoroughly until the mass has a completely uniform temperature. If the temperature is still too high, part of the chocolate is worked further on the cold surface until the correct temperature is reached. This is a lot of work, requires a lot of room, and makes a big mess.
• A simple method of checking tempering, is to apply a small quantity of chocolate to a piece of paper or to the point of a knife. If the chocolate has been correctly tempered, it will harden evenly and show a good gloss within a few minutes.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH DRIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line bottom of 9-inch round cake pan with 2-inch-high sides with parchment paper. Generously butter and flour sides of pan and parchment. Stir chocolate and butter in large bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Turn off heat. Let chocolate stand over water. Mix cherries and framboise in medium saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer until all liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 9 minutes. Set aside.
• Remove bowl with melted chocolate from over water. Whisk in sugar, vanilla and salt, then eggs 1 at a time. Add flour in 2 additions, blending well after each. Fold in cherries. Pour batter into pan.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack. Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Turn out cake onto plate; peel off parchment paper. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.) Sift powdered sugar generously over cake.
• *Sold at some liquor stores and specialty foods stores. If unavailable, substitute raspberry liqueur.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CAKE

Steps:

• In a bowl, stir together all cake ingredients. Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until cake tests done. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, mix sugar, milk and butter. Bring to a boil and boil for 1-1/2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted. Pour over hot cake. Frosting will harden as it cools.

DRIED CHERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Combine cherries, hot water, and almond extract: let stand 20 minutes. Drain cherries, and pat dry between layers of paper towels. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, and 1 cup white sugar. Add yogurt, eggs, and oil. Stir well. Fold in cherries. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 inch round cake pan.
• Stir pecans and 1 tablespoon white sugar together. Sprinkle on top of batter in pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 minutes, or until wooden pick comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Serve warm, or at room temperature.

NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE BISCUIT CAKE WITH DRIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Line 9 x 5 x 2-inch metal loaf pan with plastic wrap. Stir chocolate and butter in heavy large saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Mix in cream and golden syrup. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour chocolate mixture into prepared pan. Smooth top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours or overnight. (Cake can be prepared up to 3 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Uncover pan. Place platter on pan. Invert cake onto platter. Peel off plastic wrap. Cut cake into slices and serve.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CAKE III

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.
• In a large bowl, combine cake mix, cherry pie filling, almond extract, and 2 eggs by hand; stir until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it tests done. Cool.
• In a small saucepan, combine sugar, butter or margarine, and milk. Boil, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in chocolate chips until smooth. Immediately pour over partially cooled cake.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Whisk together 1/3 cup sugar, kirsch, and cornstarch in a medium pot. Add cherries and any juices. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high until thickened, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan. Line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides of the pan. Butter parchment.
• Whisk cocoa with hot water in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisk in sour cream and melted chocolate; let cool. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in another medium bowl.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and 1 2/3 cups sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to combine after each and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in two parts, alternating with the cocoa mixture and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined. Fold in 1 1/4 cups cherry filling; reserve remaining filling for topping.
• Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth with an offset spatula. Bake until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Remove cake from pan.
• Transfer cake to a serving platter. In a small saucepan over low, heat gelatin and 2 tablespoons water over low, stirring constantly, just until gelatin melts, about 3 minutes. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk heavy cream and remaining 1/4 cup sugar on medium-high. Once soft peaks form, slowly add gelatin mixture with the mixer running until combined. Frost top of cooled cake and top with remaining cherry filling.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CAKE (WITH DRIED CHERRIES SOAKED IN BRANDY)

Steps:

• Combine cherries and brandy and microwave uncovered on high 45 seconds; set aside. Combine chocolate and margarine/butter. Microwave on high 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, or until melted, stirring every 30 seconds; set aside.
• Beat eggs and sugar with electric mixer on high about 5 minutes, till thick and lemon colored. Beat in chocolate mixture, milk and vanilla. Beat in flour. Stir in undrained cherries and nuts.
• Pour in 9 x 1" round baking pan; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 F for 35-40 minutes (45-50 to springform pan). Cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.
• GLAZE: Combine chcolate with margarine/butter; microwave on high 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, or till melted, strirring twice.
• Spread 1/4 cup of Glaze evenly over top and sides of cake. Chill 10 minutes. Frost top and sides of glaze with remaining glaze. Chill till set. Let stand at room temperature 10/15 minutes before serving.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Butter and flour 2 x 9" round pan.
• Combine sour cream, cocoa and water, blend well (set aside).
• Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into bowl (set aside).
• In a large bowl beat butter and sugar on medium high speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Lower speed and add vanilla and almond extracts, add eggs one at a time, blend well.
• Add flour 3 times to butter mixture, alternating 2 times with milk mixture-- starting and ending with flour.
• Mix well.
• Pour batter evenly into both pans and bake in a 350 degree oven for 20- 25 minutes.
• Cool on racks for 20 minutes before removing pans.
• Cool completely before frosting.
• Beat whipping cream with icing sugar until stiff but not dry.
• Place one cake on platter, frost with 1 cup whipped cream to 1/2" from edge of cake, sprinkle white chocolate chips on top of whipped cream and top with the chopped and drained cherries.
• Put 2nd cake overtop of first cake and frost the top and sides with the remaining whipped cream.
• You can add chocolate curls or marashino cherries to decorate if desired.